


Visiting Hours

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Family, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series, Prison, Uncle-Nephew Relationship, ozai's a horrible father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9860696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: "He waits until they have already locked Zuko in the brig and out of hearing range—the boy's face, a mask of confused shame under the large, fresh bandage, and that stands out all the more apparently because of his freshly shaven head—to make his demand.'You will open the door to that cell,' he tells the young officer currently in command of the vessel."Iroh and Zuko, in their first hours at sea.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [prisoner of flames](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387791) by [sangi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sangi/pseuds/sangi). 



> I figured there had to be a moment, right after he's banished, before Zuko becomes angry, that he's _sad_ and just doesn't know what to do.
> 
> I also remember reading a news story a few years ago about a judge who had to sentence a veteran to a night in jail spending it in jail with him. I thought about that, and I thought about the fic "prisoner of flame," and this ensued.

He waits until they have already locked Zuko in the brig and out of hearing range—the boy's face, a mask of confused shame under the large, fresh bandage, and that stands out all the more apparently because of his freshly shaven head—to make his demand. 

“You will open the door to that cell,” he tells the young officer currently in command of the vessel. He is not rude; he doesn’t need to be. Despite everything, a great number of lower-ranking officers in the military admire him, idolize him still, and will listen and obey. From his tone, Iroh might have been making pleasant conversation, rather than giving an unofficial (and unauthorized) order.

“But...But, General Iroh, sir,” the young captain stammers. “Protocol dictates…”

“I am aware of the protocol.” In fact, it is because of this same _protocol_ that Iroh has made a pleasant, if firm, request, rather than raging at the captain and crew like the Dragons he supposedly slaughtered. A condition of banishment is that the condemned is stripped of rank and privilege within the Fire Nation itself; while they are still in Fire Nation waters, Zuko is a convict, no better than a foreign stowaway, and must be treated as such. He cannot accept Ozai’s display of apparent generosity—a tiny ship and small crew—until they have entered international or foreign waters. Until then, an officer from their escort ship, and who will return to the escort ship at the border, remains in command. 

“You misunderstand me,” Iroh continues. “I do not mean for you to release Prince Zuko.” (If only, he thinks, because his nephew would take such a blatant disregard for Ozai’s sovereignty as a personal insult.) “Rather, I mean to enter the cell with him.”

“But sir! We will still be in Fire Nation territory for another four hours!”

“And my nephew will remain detained for the duration of that time, will he not?”

“Well, yes sir, but—”

“Then so shall I.”

The captain opens his mouth like he wants to protest, but seems to be at a loss to find any valid counter-arguments. “Very well, sir,” he sighs finally. Then he leads Iroh below deck to where Zuko sits behind bars, hugging his knees.

The young prince looks up and raises his remaining eyebrow as Iroh enters the cell and the door is re-locked behind him. Iroh can see the questions forming in his nephew’s mind: _Why are you here? Did you do something wrong, too? What happened, Uncle? Why did this happen?_ But Zuko doesn’t vocalize any of these questions, only looks toward his uncle’s face, silently. 

Iroh doesn’t speak either, but he returns his nephew’s gaze, allows his lips to form a slight, warm smile. Zuko is scared, scarred, burned, and just a child—Agni, he is _just a child_ —but perhaps, just perhaps, if Iroh is persistent enough, the boy will come to understand that, despite everything, he is not alone. 

Zuko’s features soften, if only minutely, and the banished prince scoots closer to his uncle. They sit quietly together. They wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Please consider leaving a comment!


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